Frederick Seton James

Sir Frederick Seton James, KCMG, KBE (8 April 1870 – 13 February 1934) was a British colonial administrator, Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements (1916–24) and Governor of the Windward Islands (1924–30). ^[1]

He was born the son of William James, lately of the 42nd Royal Highlanders, of Otterburn Tower, Northumberland and educated at Charterhouse School and overseas.

He joined the Colonial Service and was posted to the Niger Coast Protectorate in 1896 as Assistant District Commissioner. He served as Divisional Commissioner in 1901 and was Intelligence and Political Officer with the Aro Field Force in 1901-02. He was also with the Kwale Field Force in 1905. He was appointed Acting Secretary and Deputy High Commissioner in 1905. He became Provincial Commissioner and Member of the Executive and Legislative Councils of Southern Nigeria in 1906 and was Deputy Governor in 1907 and 1908. He was Acting Colonial Secretary several times and acted as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Southern Nigeria during 1912.

After Southern Nigeria was joined with Northern Nigeria in 1914, he was made Administrator of the Colony of Lagos until 1916. He was returning home on The Steamship Appam when it was captured as a prize by the German raider SMS Möwe.

From 1914 to 1924 he was Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements, before being transferred to the Caribbean as Governor of the Windward Islands, where he served until a serious accident in 1930.^[2] He was knighted KBE in 1923 and KCMG in 1929. ^[3]

He retired to live near Chichester, Sussex and died in 1934. He had married Doris Basevi and had two sons.

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